British Open Golf 2011: The 5 Most Important Questions Heading into Day 1

The British Open is wide open. Just like the U.S. Open was anyone's for the taking, the year's third major is truly up for grabs.

As a result, there are a ton of unanswered questions heading into the tournament. It's not hard to see that Rory McIlroy is the odds-on favorite, but how he and everyone else in the field will play remains unknown, as there are so many questions still looming.

Here are the five most important questions heading into the first round.

Can Rory McIlroy Handle the Pressure of Being a Tournament Favorite?

Rory McIlroy could very well be competing for his third major, if not his fourth. After his epic meltdown in Augusta, he came into the U.S. Open under fire for his collapse.

He answered the call, alleviating some of the pressure critics were placing on him by suggesting that McIlroy was a choke artist.

He enters this tournament under an entirely different sort of pressure. He's the guy with the target on his back. How will he respond?

Is Luke Donald Going to Validate His No. 1 Ranking?

Luke Donald is ranked No. 1 in the world, but is he No. 1 in the world? The No. 1 ranking has been somewhat of a revolving door since Tiger Woods vacated the spot.

Donald seems to be holding down the No. 1 ranking in an almost interim role. Lee Westwood failed to validate having the top spot. Will Donald see the same fate?

Will Lee Westwood Finally Win a Major?

Lee Westwood is an elite golfer, but he's about to be overrun by players who have a more impressive trophy case.

Westwood has yet to win a major, and guys like McIlroy are bound to overtake him in the rankings. Could this finally be his time to shine, or will he slip into the shadows as usual?

Westwood is a spectacular golfer, but he's got to start backing his play up with some tangible results.

Does Louis Oosthuizen Have Any Chance at Repeating?

Louis Oosthuizen knows what it takes to win the British Open. He's the defending champion, and could be one of the players to watch in this tournament.

Oosthuizen isn't exactly playing spectacular golf, but he's still a name worth knowing going into the tournament, just as Graeme McDowell was heading into the U.S. Open.

How Good Is Jason Day?

Jason Day is one of the underdogs worth knowing prior to the tournament. He stormed to second-place finishes after mediocre starts at both the Masters and the U.S. Open this year. With that sort of ability to close, it would be interesting to see a tournament in which Rory McIlroy doesn't jump out to a ridiculous lead.

There are a lot of players who could emerge from the field, but like McIlroy at the U.S. Open, we could look back and wonder why Day was such a long shot heading into this tournament.